EU and Turkey plan to discuss Cyprus issue in October — Cyprus Mail

The European Union and Turkey plan to hold a high-level meeting by the end of October to discuss the resumption of negotiations on a Cyprus settlement. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said this in Brussels, Belgium, during the second day of the European Council summit, Cyprus Mail reports.

According to Christodoulides, the meeting is planned following talks in New York and contacts with the UN secretary-general. He said it is to be held at the request of António Guterres. The sides will consider two areas: the possibility of resuming talks on Cyprus and potential progress in EU-Turkey relations.

Conditions for resuming dialogue

Christodoulides said that improving relations between Brussels and Ankara depends on resuming negotiations on an agreed basis. In his view, the upcoming meeting could create conditions for positive developments, particularly after Guterres' visit to Cyprus in July.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

The president also stressed that, from the beginning of his administration's work, Nicosia had considered more active EU involvement one of its priorities. He positively assessed the appointment of European Commission Vice-President for Cohesion Raffaele Fitto as the European Commission's envoy on the Cyprus issue.

Rising tensions

In July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to seize the new momentum for settling the Cyprus issue. That same month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas, European Commissioner Marta Kos and European Commissioner Magnus Brunner signed a joint declaration supporting Guterres' efforts.

At the same time, relations between the two sides of Cyprus have, according to the publication's assessment, apparently worsened since the summer due to a series of incidents. UN envoy to Cyprus María Ángela Holguín warned that the favorable window of opportunity for resuming dialogue is gradually closing, while rising tensions in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean could have negative consequences for the island.